Long Putter Use Way Down Through West Coast Swing

Jason Sobel has obtained Darrell Survey results showing long putter use is way down in 2013 (they do not track whether players anchor). So far the 94 who have used the long wand made 61.7 percent of cuts and scored nine top-10s, slightly above the average.

Broken down, the data shows a decrease at each event: Hyundai Tournament of Champions (from seven to five); Sony Open (24 to 21); Humana Challenge (30 to 18); Farmers Insurance Open (31 to 13); Waste Management Phoenix Open (25 to 11); AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am (25 to 10); and Northern Trust Open (33 to 16).

With most of the success coming for long putter users coming in Hawaii, Sobel says:

Yes, the game’s governing bodies still must determine whether an anchored putt should be defined as a legal stroke, but any notion that this is greatly affecting the game at its uppermost level has so far been summarily dismissed by the statistics.

Reading that, I realize the "no competitive advantage" talking point really is problematic either way it is used as an argument.

Those claiming it--while ignoring the major championship wins and improved putting by several players in majors where pressure is greatest--must have a hard time keeping a straight face.

But to also claim there is simply no advantage--that it can be "summarily dismissed"--helps the governing bodies say, okay, we do not see this as a traditional stroke, you say there is no advantage, everyone with back issues can keep using a long putter, so what's the problem again?

Tracking Johnny's Flip Flop(s) On Anchoring

Masterful breakdown from Jaime Diaz in Golf World Monday on Johnny Miller's almost-daily position switches on the anchoring ban, with some of the switches depending on who is visiting the booth.

Look, many have waivered because it's a complex issue. But multiple positions in a week?

Can't wait for the U.S. Open when Johnny pats Mike Davis on the back for a job well done! Too bad NBC doesn't have the PGA so that Ted Bishop could get the same pat.

Esquire: "Why do we hate Donald Trump so much?"

What better way to kick off WGC week at Trump Doral than with some thoughts on All Star Celebrity Apprentice host and golf development icon Donald Trump.

Stephen Marche of Esquire.com explains why we as a culture so love hate the man.

Really, it all comes down to his hair. The hair asks the fundamental question of the man: Who does he think he's fooling? He can't possibly think he's getting away with this, can he?

And here I think is the true source of why Donald is so intensely hateable, why he is the only person on Twitter everyone is allowed to swear at. It's not the narcissism, the shallowness, the stupidity, or the obliviousness. It's that he's getting away with it, that his style works. All the intelligence and humor of Spy magazine couldn't budge him, and if Spy couldn't, who can? He is proof of the fact that the world, as it is currently constructed, is a wonderful place for obliviously shallow narcissists. Donald didn't make that world. He just inhabits it. But he is its perfect icon, and that is definitely a good enough reason for hate.

Update on 2013-03-05 19:58 by Geoff

**Speaking of The Donald's hair, looks like someone has been to the salon for a coloring, and his name is not Ernie Els.

Trump posted this today on his Facebook page.

Rory Speaks: Realizes He Should Have Finished His Round

Michael Bamberger scored an exclusive Sunday night conversation with the lad who admitted that his quitting on the ninth hole of the Honda Classic was a "reactive decision" and that he knew soon after he left the course.

The wisdom tooth issue appears to have been exaggerated. I know you're shocked to learn this.

On Monday his Belfast dentist, Mark Conroy, faxed a letter to the PGA Tour offices describing McIlroy’s condition with both of his lower wisdom teeth. McIlroy said he wore braces for a period last year in an effort to create separation for the two teeth, one of which he said was “growing sideways.” He also said he has been prescribed a painkiller, which he did not use on Friday but will use as needed until he next sees Conroy, most likely after the U.S. Open in June. At that time, his lower right wisdom tooth is expected to be pulled.

Now it's after the U.S. Open?

On Friday, within a half hour of shaking hands with Els and Wilson, McIlroy knew that by quitting he had done the wrong thing. He drove to his home, in a gated development in Jupiter, with his instructor, Michael Bannon, and his caddie, J.P. Fitzgerald. Soon after, he was joined by his parents, Rosie and Gerry, and by liaison Sean O’Flaherty, who works for Horizon Sports Management, the Dublin agency that represents McIlroy. Rory spoke by phone to his agent, Conor Ridge. “By the time I got home I was saying, ‘We need to reassess here,’ ” McIlroy said.

"Reassess" was apparently in reference to his swing, which he worked on with Michael Bannon over the weekend, and not in reference to spinning the PR aftermath.

Key Evidence In Rory-Caroline Breakup Speculation: Recent Disappearance Of Witty, Lovebirdsy Twitter Banter!

The Irish Independent's Niamh Horan "asks if the Nike Curse has struck again as the golf genius and his tennis ace lover appear to go into meltdown."

Here key evidence?

That lack of Twitter activity between the two in recent days...

The pair, who are usually very communicative with one another over Twitter, have not publicly conversed on the social networking site for several days.

The Trials & Tribulations Of "World No. 1" Status

With Stacy Lewis's win in Singapore, she's moving in on top ranked Yani Tseng, who lamented the "No. 1" pressure in an unbylined wire story.

"It's tough and it's very lonely," she said. "No one knows how do you feel. Everybody wants to be in your shoes, but no one knows how tough is that."

"The first year, when I was world No. 1, I feel good. But every month, everybody keeps building the expectations on me and that's lots of pressure."

And...

"World No. 1, I know it's good and people like it, but I want to care about myself more," she said. "If I lose (it), I'll get back one day, too."

Meanwhile Joe Posnanski writes about the "crippling" pressure created by a pesky algorithm putting a "1" next to your name.

These guys are pros, of course, and they train themselves to not think about any of this, to keep their thoughts positive and their visualizations clear … but it isn’t easy. And then, suddenly, a player is No. 1. And it all explodes. Every putt is world news. Reporters are everywhere. Everything you say is a headline, every opinion you offer (about golf or not) is analyzed and scrutinized. Expectations are insane – a bad round leads newscasts around the world. Whispers surround you. People invest hopes in you. It’s a lot to deal with. It’s hard to keep your bearings.

Call the Red Cross!

Anyway, this was fascinating...

Jack Nicklaus – who handled the No. 1 spot in the world better than anyone in golf history – said it best.

Today's trivia question readers, how many weeks did Jack Nicklaus spend in the World No. 1 spot?

Really, why do people take the golf rankings so seriously? I understand players wanting to get in the top 50 Club because of the perks that go along with it, but this is not tennis. Does the Official World Golf Ranking even come close to consistently telling us who is playing best in the world?

Update on 2013-03-04 16:04 by Geoff

**Mercifully, Holly Sonders on Golf Channel Morning Drive brought some sanity to this discussion during the, uh, "Wolf" segment (don't ask):

"I've never heard of Roger Federer complaining or lamenting about being world No. 1. In golf I think we need to take a page from other sports' books, so to speak, and get that competitive fire back. What are we doing?"

State Of The Game Podcast 17: Anchoring Politics

The latest State of the Game is now posted for your listening pleasure. Rod Morri hosts the usual suspects Clayton and Huggan appearing along with yours truly talking about the anchoring ban, Tim Finchem and the position of the governing bodies.

Also covered is Rory McIlroy's issues and finished off with some talk of the Australian PGA's new venue.

As always, you can find it on itunes where you can subscribe, or listen via the embedded player below.

Augusta National Fighting Auction Of Art Wall's Green Jacket

Steve Hummer reports on the lawsuit filed in a Texas district court  to stop the sale and how the club has already successfully gotten the auction postponed.

According to court documents filed by Augusta National Inc. (ANI) in its suit to halt the sale of Wall’s Masters jacket at auction, the tournament winner is allowed to take his jacket off the grounds for a period of one year after his victory.

“Thereafter, it must be stored on ANI premises for use only on the grounds and during the annual tournament,” it claimed in the documents. “Thus, a champion’s Green Jacket is owned by ANI, with a champion having possessory rights when on the premises of ANI.”

Responded Florida anesthesiologist and serious golf collector Stephen Pyles, “I have owned six, maybe seven, green jackets. I can go on the Internet right now and buy you a member’s green jacket.”

Hummer also gets into the whole market for members and former champion jackets.

Jack Supports The Governing Bodies

Ryan Lavner, on Jack Nicklaus' comments from today's Honda Classic telecast appearance.

Not music to Tim Finchem's ears:

“It may be to some of the fellas’ detriment, one way or the other, but what I think the ultimate decision should be is the ruling bodies of golf and not the Tour.”

He also spoke at length about Rory McIlroy, as quoted in this unbylined story at ESPN.com.

2013 Bear Trap Classic Final Round Open Comment Thread

So glad we're in Florida to watch people walking around all bundled up, but at least the Honda Classic at Bear Trap National has served up a delicious final round setup: two vets in Ogilvy and Westwood both in major need of a PGA Tour win, pursuing two of the sweeter swinging young guns you'll ever see in Guthrie and Thompson.

Throw in the tough conditions, a few players capable of getting in the clubhouse early and it should be a dandy. NBC airs at 3 ET, with Golf Channel supporting prior and with Bear Trap coverage to compliment the network telecast.